Results with frozen apple juice concentrate + water?

[SmashedPumpkins]

I've made a few batches where I experimented with 100% apple juice plus brown sugar, table sugar, or honey and various spices. Each batch has been unique but I'm wondering if sticking with sugars from apples only would taste better?

Some quick math says 14 of the 12 oz cans would be about 5 gallons of apple juice. I would probably bump it to 21 cans for a boost. Do these concentrates fail at keeping apple flavor? Any experiences?

My most recent batch is likely mid to high teens ABV and tastes a lot like Dr. McGillicuddy’s Apple Pie. It's very sweet because I added a pinch too much sugar that the yeast couldn't survive to ferment. I'll need to add more chili peppers too as the spice didn't come through after a few weeks. (Maybe it will over time)

What surprised me is how much of the apple flavor also remained. My prior batches with the same juice lost most of the apple flavor. I suspect it remained like the cane sugar due to already reaching a high ABV. What ways do you retain the apple flavor?

I did not accurately measure ABV because the cane sugar did not dissolve fully.

Primary for 3 months

• 5 Gallons Kirkland Apple Juice
• 10 lbs cane sugar
• 1 pack of Red Star Premier Classique
• 5 tsp yeast nutrient

Bottled in 1.75 L jugs with:

• 15g of cinnamon sticks
• 4 medium sized dried chilli peppers

 

[bracconiere]

What surprised me is how much of the apple flavor also remained.

i just kegged a batch only semi-dry, and i got a lot more apple flavor from it....the sweetness

 

[Blacksmith1]

See THIS THREAD it should answer any questions you have.